I am happy that people feel my voice suits Prithviraj on screen: Najim Arshad

Exuding the spirit of true love and a passion for the sky, the song

Vaniluyare

from the recent film

Vimanam

was a hit right from the time it was released online.

Its singer

Najim Arshad

is on cloud nine as the song continues to top the charts this week too. It was Naijm’s first song for actor Prithviraj and he says he fell in love with the track, a love song, the first time he listened to it.

“It’s by chance that I got to sing Vaniluyare. I was at composer Gopi Sunder’s studio to sing another song when he mentioned this composition to me and asked me whether I would like to try singing it,” Najim recalls. “It was love at first listen for me and I imbibed its spirit, quickly. It didn’t take us long to record it,” says the singer. And as soon as the song released, he was flooded with compliments on how well his voice suits Prithviraj, he says. “It was a great compliment, and I was super thrilled when Prithvi also appreciated me for the song at the film’s audio launch.”

For Najim, the song is also special for another reason, this is the first time a duet of his with Shreya Ghoshal is used in a film. “I had sung with Shreya for the song Mele Mele, in the film Life of Josutty. However, only the solo version was used in the film,” Najim says.

Singing a composition for Ratheesh Vega for the film Nalo Ninnu Nenu, Najim made a re-entry into Telugu too, recently, after a gap of about four years. “It was in 2013 that I sang for Rahul Raj, for a Telugu movie, for the first time. It felt great yet challenging to sing again in Telugu. I hope the song does well. I’m looking forward to its release,” says Najim, who also recently bagged the first ever Raveendran Award for the best singer. For someone who has been a die-hard fan of the songs Pramada Vanam Veendum from His Highness Abdulla and Nirangale Padu and Aham, Najim says it was a surprise when he was chosen for the award, that too the first time since it was instituted. “I received it in Dubai. Dasettan was also at the venue, receiving the lifetime achievement award. I will always cherish the fact that I too got to receive an award at the same venue,” says an excited Najim.

2017 was a year in which Najim also stepped into a new turf – music direction. His composition, Sarhade, was featured in the Mohanlal film 1971: Beyond Borders. It was a co-incidence,” Najim remembers. “I randomly composed it as a single. The film’s director Major Ravi sir happened to hear it. He was in search of a song for the climax of his film and I just happened to be there at the right time. He loved my composition and said he wanted to include it in the film.” Singer Hariharan sang the song and the album also had a version by Najim himself, with Vipin Xavier.

Will he be composing more this year? “I do have it in my mind and love the process. However, I guess singing is what I want to focus more on, as of now. The more I get to sing, the more blessed I am, I feel,” signs off Najim.